Hold My Hand

Chapter Fourteen

When I entered the classroom, I saw Gabriel sitting at the desk smiling. As if he sensed my arrival, he gently greeted me.

- Hello, Mary. - embracing my name kind of weirdly.

- Good morning.

-...anyway, what do you do?

- Huh? 

- What do you do when you come home from school?

- Nothing special. I study, draw, sing, and watch TV.

- Is that all?

- What more did you expect? 

- A more interesting and attractive life.

- I really couldn't say that.

- I can't either. Well, you have a good voice.

- I think it's none of your business how I live. After all, you don't even know me.

- Really? People like you don't like to say thank you.

- Really.

He took off his glasses and gave me a deep look. Again I saw the bottomless sea with the shimmering reflection of the moon.

Adrenaline.

- I have been here for more than two weeks.

- And you think that's enough? 

- Depends. 

- It isn't enough for ANYBODY.

- Sure...- his face lit up with cunningness.

- Don't look at me like that!

- "Oh, what have I done!" - Unfortunately my teeth couldn't catch my words.

- Are you that stupid, that you don't know, I'm absolutely NOT looking at you? 

- Sh*t. 

He smiled.

I almost pissed my pants.

-"I wish this stupid game ends!"- I longed.

And it quickly came true.

I looked at the calendar. There were just 18 days left until our three-week-long holiday for the New Year. 

Luckily, I could also follow the crowd of our classmates on Friday. But the time I was about to step out of the classroom:

- And why anyway?.. - a familiar voice addressed me.

- What do you want?! - I was already mad.

- Why do you have such a life?

I didn't want to talk about family problems with a stranger.

- I don't know you, you don't know me. Stop asking personal questions! 

- You don't, but I do. 

During this one-minute conversation with him, he evoked momentary trust, which was quickly dispelled by doubts.

But I still felt the presence of that thread that made me feel its reality. He was not like them.

- And in general, you YOURSELF ordered me to leave you alone, and now you are just trying to find out the personal details of my life!

- I have already found out, what I needed.

I was furious.

- Then, if you know me so well, who am I?!

- You're Mary.

- That's all?

- Yes.

I smiled.

- I see things that you don't even notice yourself. 

- You SEE? 

- Exactly.

Saying this, he put on his coat and slowly disappeared behind the door, just like the day before.